It seems phone providers have stepped-up their game, or customers have relaxed a bit, with figures showing the number of phone industry complaints dropping by around a quarter in some states.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman has released its annual report on the level of feedback being flung by customers. The Ombudsmen found an 18.1 per cent decrease in the number of complaints nationwide from last year, bringing consumer issues to their lowest level in five years.

The Ombudsmen says it is probably due to better communications by the telecoms companies, brought on by a new consumer protection code.

Ombudsman Simon Cohen said he believed the stronger complaint handling rules are having an effect

“[These are] commonsense rules about acknowledging complaints quickly, about telling consumers about the outcomes of their complaints,” he said.

The industry recorded 158,652 new complaints from angry customers this year. Most gripes related to the old favourites; disputed bills, poor information about contract terms and mobile coverage.

Full details and figures from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsmen's annual report are available here.